Door and treadle operating means for self-playing pianos.



.NOI 861,743. PATENTBD JULY so, 1907.

J. L. LUTJBN.

DOOR AND TREADLE OPERATING MEANS FOR SELF PLAYING PIANOS.

' 'APPLIoATIoN FILED mum. 1907.

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L I 9 3 20 J? iii/c asses I No. 861,743. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

J. L. LUTJEN.

DOOR AND TREADLB OPERATING MEANS FOR SELF PLAYING PIANOS.

; APPLICATION FILED MAB. a, 1907.

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(Z k 1 W Z 9 2 UNITED STALS PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LOUIS LUTJEN, OF NEW YORK. N. Y.

DOOR AND TREADLE OPERATING MEANS FOR SELF-PLAYING PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed March 8.1907. Serial No. 361.221.

vented new and useful Improvements in Door and Trcadle Operating Means for Self-Playing Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for manipulating the doors that inclosc the treadles and the music rollers of a self-playing piano, and also to improved means for swinging the treadles into or out of their operative position. The construction is such that the doors and treadles may be operated in convenient man nor by means of hand levers pivoted to the botton i oi the key-board and within easy reach of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a self-playing piano embodying my inven-' tion; Fig. 2 a rear view of the door and treadle actuating mechanism, showing the piano case in section; Fig.3 a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts in different position; Fig. 4 a vertical transverse section of the treadle operating mechanism on line 4-4, Fig. 6; Fig. 5 a similar section through the treadle-box of Fig. 4, and showing the parts in different position; 'Fig. 6 a section on line 6-6, Fig. 4, showing the treadles raised, and Fig. 7 a bottom view of the key-board.

The piano case 10 is provided with an upper sliding door 11 that controls access to the chamber containing the music roller. It also has two lower doors 12, 13 controlling access to a box 14 which is adapted to receive the treadles 15 when the latter are swung-inwards. These treadles are pivoted to arms 16 that are in turn pivoted at 17 to bearings 18 arranged in the forward part of box 14.

In order to simultaneously operate all three doors 11, 12, 13, there is pivoted at 19 to the lower side of keyboard 20, 9. hand lever 21. This lever may be oscillated by a knob 22 and is guided by a keeper 23. The

'rear forked end of lever 21 straddles a pin 24 of a horizontally movable bar 25. This bar, by bell crank 26, rod 27, bell crank 28, link 29, lever 36 and link 31, swings a lever 32 having an upper slot 33 that engages a pin 34 on the back of door 11. By the means described, a turn of lever 21 will cause a sliding movement of bar 25, which, in turn, will either open or close door 11, as will be readily understood. j

Doors 12, 13 are operated by reciprocating bar 25 in the following manner-E To bar 25 is pivoted near one end, a lever 35 connected by link 36, lever 3'7and'link 38, to a lever 39. This lever is fulcrumed at 40 and has a slot4l that embraces a pin 42 on back of door 12. At its other end there is pivoted to bar 25, a lever 43, con" nected by a link 44 to a lever 45 fulcrumed at 46 and having a slot 47 that embraces apin 48 on back of (100113. Thus by moving bar 25 in one direction, doors 12, 13, as well as door llwill be opened, while by moving the bar in the other direction, all three doors will be closed.

The means for manipulating the treadles are as follows: To the lower side of key-board 20 is pivoted at 49, a second hand lever 50 having knob 51 and guided by a keeper 52. The rear forked end of lever 50 straddles i a pin 53 of a second horizontally slidable bar 54. This bar has a pair of pins 55 engaging the slotted upper ends of bell cranks 56 which are connected by rods 57.and bell cranks 58, to levers 59 fulcrumedat 60 within the back of box 14. The lower ends of levers 59, are, by links 61, connected to the aims 16 of treadles 15. By the means described, a movement of lever 50 inone direction will cause the treadles tobe swung upwards into box 14, (Fig. 5), while a movement of the lever in the opposite direction will cause the treadles to be lowered into their operative position, (Fig. 4).

Means are provided for so interlocking the door operating mechanism with the treadle operating mechanism, that the latter cannot be moved when the doors are closed, and that the former cannot be moved when the treadles are lowered. In this way injury to the mechanism, owing to untimely efforts to operate the same, is prevented- To lever 37 is pivoted at 62 a slotted stop 63 guided by means of a pin 64. When the position of the parts is such that the doors are closed, stop 63' projects with its free end over one of the bell cranks 56 that transmit movement to the treadles. In this way the latter will be locked against lowering as long as the doors remain closed, (Fig. 2). In opening the doors, stop 63 is withdrawn from bell crank 56, (Fig. 3), so that the treadles are now free to be lowered. I

To the second bell crank 56 is pivoted at 65 a slotted stop 66 guided bya pin 67. The free end of this stop is arranged opposite the upper arm of lever 43. When 43, (Fig. 3), and thus prevent thed'oorsirom being closed. By swinging the treadles up, stop 66 will be withdrawn from lever 43, and thus permit the doors to be closed.

I claim:

1. A device ot the character described, comprising a piano case, a chamber, a music roller Journaled therein, a trcadie box, separate doors adapted to close said chamber illid box. and menus for simultaneously operating said doors, substantially as specified.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a piano case. a chamber, a music roller journaled therein. a ircndle box, separate doors adapted to close said chamber and box, a handle, and means connected to the handle for simultaneously operating said doors, substantially as specified. I

A device of thecharacter described, comprising a pinno case having; a key-hoard, a handle carried thereby, chamber. a door controlling said chamber, a -trendle box, a pair oi doors controlling said box, and means connected in lhc handle, for cpenin; and closing said three doors, substantially as specified.

4. A device of the character described, comprising 51 piano case having a key-board, a handle carried thereby, slidnble bar connected to'the handle, a chamber, a door controlling said chamber, a trendle box, a pair of doors controlling said box, and means connected to the bar for opening and closing said three doors, substantially as specified.

'5. A device of the character described; comprising a treadle-box, doors controlling the sameytrbadles adapted to be folded into the box, means for operating the doors, means for operating; the treadles, and means'for interlocking the door operating means with the trendle operating means, substantially asspecified.

(i. A device oi the character described. comprising a trendiebox, doors controlling the same, treadles adapted to be folded into the box, means for operating the doors. means for operating-the treadles, and means tor interlocking the treadie operating means with the door operating means, substantially as specified.

2'. A device of the character described, comprising a piano case having a key-board, a first handle carried thereby. a slidable bar engaged by the handle, a trendle-box, :1 pair of doors controlling the same, a first und a second lever operntiveiy connecting the bar to said doors, :1 second handle carried by the key-board, a second slidnble bur engaged thereby, a pair of trcadles, a first and second bell ci'unk that operatively connect the second slidable bar to tile trendles, a stop on the first lever adapted to engage the first bell crank, and a stop on the second bell crank udapted .to engage the second lever, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at New York city, Manhattan, N. 35., this seventh day of March, 1907.

JOHN LOUIS LUTJEN.

Witnesses:

Frmonmcx .Dnusmom, KELLER Emotes, 

